Love's Cunning Ruse novel Chapter 366

Inside the towering glass and steel edifice of S&J International Law Firm, Julie stood in the grand lobby, her heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. The receptionist—with a practiced smile that was all professionalism—asked, "Miss, do you have an appointment?"

Julie shook her head slightly, "Just a moment, please."

She pulled out her phone and dialed Kyle's number. At that moment, Kyle was in the middle of a meeting. Seeing Julie's name flash on his screen, he immediately thought it might be about Sansa, and excused himself from the boardroom to answer.

"Kyle, it's me, Joyce."

"What's wrong?" Kyle whispered, concern threading his voice.

"Is this a bad time? I can call back later..."

"No, it's fine. Go ahead."

"I'm downstairs in your building. I need some advice..." Julie's voice was soft, almost hesitant.

Kyle gestured to Lisa, and quietly instructed, "Bring Joyce up to my office."

Then, back to Julie, "Joyce, I'm tied up at the moment, but you can wait in my office. Lisa will show you the way."

"Okay, thanks," Julie replied obediently.

The other executives in the branch office exchanged curious glances. Kyle's gentle demeanor towards a woman was unheard of, prompting them to wonder about the mysterious Joyce.

Lisa, who had been working for Kyle since his early days at the company, escorted Julie to the office with an air of respect that did not go unnoticed by the front desk staff, who silently thanked their stars for not having offended this important visitor.

Once they arrived, Lisa poured Julie a glass of water and said, "Please, Ms. Abraham, make yourself comfortable. Mr. Kyle will be with you shortly."

"Lisa," Julie called out, stopping her in her tracks. "You've been with Kyle for a long time, haven't you?"

Lisa remained silent, unsure of what Julie might ask next. She braced herself for inquiries about Kyle, ready to keep professional secrets when Julie unexpectedly asked, "Do you know Rowan?"

The question hung in the air, it’s even hard to answer than anything involving Kyle. Lisa couldn't feign ignorance, but her duty was clear. "I'm sorry, Ms. Abraham, but as Mr. Kyle's assistant, it's my policy not to discuss matters that aren't my business."

"I understand," Julie said with a forgiving smile, not wanting to make Lisa uncomfortable.

Kyle returned to his office shortly after, loosening his tie as he approached Julie with a serious look. "Is Sansa alright? Did something happen to her?"

Julie waved her hands, dismissing the concern. "No, no, it's not about her. I came for something else."

Relieved that Sansa was safe, Kyle relaxed into the sofa, his smile warm and inviting. "What's on your mind?"

"I wanted to ask you about Rowan..." Julie finally broached the subject.

Earlier that day, Amanda had mentioned that to find Lucian, they had to start with those closest to him. Zenith, who turned out to be Lucian, had vanished after instructing Julie to deliver a USB drive to Rowan.

Since then, Lucian had disappeared, and the only person he'd been in contact with was Amanda.

Julie had promised Amanda to reveal the truth after dealing with Phoebe's situation. But then Lucian had unexpectedly broken their agreement, sending Bruce to take Phoebe away instead. Was this part of a premeditated plan, or had something gone wrong with Lucian's original scheme?

Without confirmation, these were merely Julie's speculations. The key to it all lay in that USB drive. Why hadn't Lucian delivered it to Rowan himself or entrusted it to a reliable subordinate like Bruce, instead of using her?

Did Rowan know the origin of the USB?

None of them—neither she, Kieran, nor Hayden—knew much about Rowan. Julie had a gun pointed at her by him once, a near-death experience she wasn't eager to repeat alone.

Thus, Julie's only option was to learn more about Rowan through Kyle.

Upon hearing the name Rowan, Kyle's brow furrowed, a clear sign of his discomfort.

"Those aren't just any rumors. Who told you?"

Julie realized she had slipped up. Thinking quickly, she said, "Kieran’s bro, Hayden."

She chose not to mention Julien, opting instead for Hayden. When Hayden's father, Miles, was alive, he was a fierce rival to the Fitzgeralds, so Hayden being privy to some insider gossip was not out of the ordinary.

To change the subject, Julie, feigning curiosity, swiftly asked, "So who was this woman that caught Rowan's eye? Someone famous?"

Believing Julie, Kyle answered, "The youngest daughter of the President of M country, Sophia."

"Sophia?" Julie's jaw nearly hit the floor. "Didn’t she come out not too long ago?"

Kyle confirmed, "That's right. Not long after Rankin passed away, Sophia broke things off with Rowan and then came out publicly."

Julie was shocked. Rowan, a man who appeared to have everything under control, had once been relegated to the role of a backup plan and then dumped.

Seeing the hint of schadenfreude on Julie's face, Kyle could not help but chuckle, "But all this probably has little to do with what you're trying to find out."

Julie nodded, smiling as she stood up, "Thanks anyway, Kyle. I won't keep you any longer."

"Joyce," Kyle suddenly called out as she turned to leave. Julie paused, facing his brooding expression. He stood up and added, "Don't go stirring up trouble with him."

She nodded. She'd have to be out of her mind to rile up Rowan Fitzgerald!

Stepping out of S&J International Law Firm, Julie was still preoccupied with the thought of Rowan being dumped. For such a golden boy to be someone's Plan B, and for his ex to be a lesbian, no wonder the secret was so tightly guarded. If the press ever got hold of it, Rowan's reputation would...

Lost in thought, Julie was jolted back to reality when a sleek black Spyker C8 pulled up abruptly in front of her, blocking her path across the street. She frowned slightly, about to walk around it when the car door suddenly swung open from the inside...